The Nerd and the Slacker
by thecolorsparkle
Summary: He drove her mad, yet there was something about him that interested her. Was it the brains? The Prefect- status? The freckles? Whatever it was, it better be a good reason. Because she still didn't even know herself. R&R?
1. Chapter 1

_I'm not entirely finished with this story yet, but this is the first chapter- or rather, prequel. The story takes place in a span of twelve months; hence, twelve chapters. Enjoy the first segment!_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. _

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_On the Train_

The train whistled. The scarlet engine chugga- chugged on the tracks, with the faces of mothers and fathers smiling and waving passing through the windows. Her own mother watched her stonily with her arms crossed, leaning against the wall.

The girl could hear the squeals of delight from everyone as they passed by her compartment. The usual "How do you do's" and the "How was your summer's" were being passed between everyone as the trading of summer adventures began.

The door slid open suddenly. "Heather?"

The girl looked up from the window, eyes empty and cold. Her long brown hair tumbled down her back in soft waves.

"Yes?"

"Can I sit with you?"

The girl gestured to the empty seat across from her. He sat down. His bright curly hair nearly matched the Gryffindor tie he had already changed into.

"How was your summer?"

"Fine." Heather glanced at his chest. "Prefect?"

He puffed his chest out proudly, like a prideful hen. "Yes I am." The shiny badge glittered as though he just polished it.

"How _wonderful_." Heather rolled her eyes. She wondered what he was doing there, in her compartment.

"My youngest brother starts this year," He said, possibly hoping for a conversation. His blue eyes were bright with hope.

"Fantastic." He caught the sarcasm in her voice and winced.

"How was your summer?" He asked nervously again. Heather didn't answer; instead, she stared at him. He coughed awkwardly, making her lower her eyes.

"So, are we going to resume our usual schedule?"

"I don't know, are we?" Heather turned her stare onto him. She raised an eyebrow.

"I- uh, yes." He leaned forward on his knees.

"Then why did you even ask?" She sounded bored. She leaned forward, also, mimicking him. They were inches apart, not daring to move or say a word. There was a tense silence. She could feel his warm breath on her cheek, sending sensational shivers down her spine.

The door slid open once again, revealing a tall girl with blonde curly hair in the doorway. She looked in shock from the boy to Heather. They sprang apart when they both recognized the girl.

"Percy Weasley, you sly dog! Were you, how they say, 'making a move' on our sweet Heather?" Erica Mayfield snorted as Percy turned red. She smiled mischievously as she entered the small compartment and slid the door closed. Erica flopped herself down on the compartment, her House crest flashing neon yellow and inky black at Heather. Percy scooted slightly away from Erica.

"Now, you two continue your conversation!" Erica winked at Heather. "I won't listen. _That _much." She laughed. Percy sat up straighter and adjusted his tie.

"Now, Heather, how does this Thursday sound?" Percy was still fixing his tie, not quite meeting Heather's eyes. Heather leaned forward on her knees and propped her chin in her hands.

"I guess." Was her enthusiastic reply. Percy's puffed out chest faltered a little, as did the cockiness in his eyes, but he pretended she didn't sound like she wanted to rip the hair out of her head. He was about to reply when the door to the compartment opened again. He turned red when he realized who it was.

A girl with shoulder length auburn hair peered in and asked, "Have you two kissed _yet_? God!" She stood in the doorway with her hands bossily on her hips. She glanced at the red boy and the calm girl. She grinned heartily at Erica, who grinned back. _They obviously planned this, dammit. _

"Alyssa," Heather called out on her friend, and rolled her eyes. Percy turned even redder.

"We were just discussing something private. I'll leave you be." Percy stood and awkwardly held his hand out to Heather. She shook it gently, her eyes never leaving his. The girl at the door moved aside so he could leave. "I expect to meet up soon, Heather." He said without turning around. Alyssa Dann came into the compartment with wide eyes. She sat down, with Erica across from Heather and Alyssa next to Heather.

"Tell. Me. Everything." Alyssa put her chin in her hands."What did I miss?" Heather yawned and stretched her legs across the seat.

"Nothing. Where's Tina?" Heather absently played with a strand of her hair. Her gray eyes appeared empty, but to the trained eyes of her three best friends they could tell she was the absolute _tiniest _bit amused.

"'_Where's Tina?'_ You were talking privately with your future husband and _that's _all you have to say?" Alyssa exclaimed. She sighed. "I don't know where she is, probably with that boy she's been owling all summer." Alyssa was never the one to wait patiently for news. "Now tell me- _what happened between you and Percy Weasley?"_

"Nothing happened. He was just asking if-"

"You'll marry him. I'm right, aren't I?" A petite Asian girl with short black hair appeared in the doorway. She grinned at the three girls sitting and promptly sat down next to Alyssa. She had already changed into her Hogwarts robes. Her Ravenclaw tie was knotted loosely under her chin.

"Yes, Tina, you're absolutely right." Heather said sarcastically. Tina squealed and punched Erica on the arm. "You owe me twenty Sickles!"

"Tina, she was being sarcastic." Erica rubbed her arm. "That hurt," She pouted. Her fair skin already formed a bruise in the short seconds.

"Something DID happen between them, though." Alyssa commented. Her expression turned into one of an airhead.

"You could just _feel _the sexual tension!" Erica grinned. Tina cackled into her palm.

Heather couldn't help it. She grinned ever so slightly from the ridiculousness of it all.

Tina gasped. "She's smiling! Quick, everyone think about what stupid thing you did to make her do such a dastardly deed!"

Erica tapped Tina's arm. "I believe you owe me ten Sickles."

Alyssa grinned. "I can't you believe you two bet on Heather smiling!"

"Correction: if she would smile before we got to Hogwarts." Erica poked Heather. "Now back to Percy. Are you going to kiss him this year? What did he really want?"

"Nothing. Just if we were going too continue our study sessions. And I don't see him _that _way." _Not that I would tell anyone if I actually did_, Heather said to herself.

"But you're the smartest in our grade! Why would he offer to help you? Unless if..." A devilish smile appeared on Erica's face. "He fancies you."

"No shit, Sherlock." Tina muttered. She rolled her eyes.

"Whatever. Percy has a bit of a crush on you. And you have one on him. Don't even try to deny it!" Erica added to Heather's angry expression. "Just accept it, Heather."

"Yeah, why else would he even make you do the study sessions?" Alyssa wondered out loud.

Heather has been wondering this since her first year herself.

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And that's the prologue! Read on for more(:


	2. Chapter 2

_September_

Percy Weasley. The most un-fun, uptight, rule loving pompous prat the world has ever seen. It's a wonder how his family tolerates him. She certainly couldn't.

Percy and Heather don't exactly get along. He strives for rules and logic and making sure everything is perfect, while she quite frankly doesn't give a damn for anything. He seems to be appalled by her look on life, so he asserts himself into her business as much as possible to make sure she's like him. This meant checking her homework for all her classes, he frequently asked how her day was going at random intervals, and offered to help with practically everything.

Saying that it was annoying would be an understatement.

One day Heather was talking to the girls, waiting for Potions to start, when she heard the very voice that makes her cringe.

"Students, keep in line! Go on, budge up there!" A flash of red hair came into her peripheral field of vision.

"Look, Heather, it's your favorite person," Erica sniggered. She flipped her hair over her shoulder and smirked at the ginger.

"Maybe he'll ask you to listen to him again," Alyssa whispered. The other girls cackled wildly.

"How much you wanna bet? Twenty Sickles?" Tina nudged Erica with a smirk on her face. "Everyone knows Percy fancies you." She glanced at the prowling ginger moving the students in line. All the students in line were giving Heather and Percy knowing looks as he moved closer to them.

"The nerd who's in love with the slacker! What a beautiful combination." Erica chimed in. A cough behind Heather made them all turn around, startled. Erica immediately blushed, but the person who interrupted them luckily didn't hear the conversation.

"Excuse me, get in line!" Percy appeared behind Heather. His tall and lanky body provided a contrast between her short frame and him.

She turned around and muttered, "And who is it who's being bossy?"

Tina and Erica laughed. She raised an eyebrow at them, and they all cackled at Percy.

"I- I am. I'm a Prefect." Does he really think that's a real response?

"And?" She waited to see if he'd say anything else. Chances are that's his reasoning on why she should listen to him.

"And I asked you to please step in line. You have to follow the rules."

"I _have_ to?"

There was a silence in which Percy's ears turned red.

"Heather, may I speak to you in private?" Percy forced out. She rolled her eyes as Tina and Erica laughed again. She followed the red headed boy to an empty classroom. When the door was closed, she turned to Percy with her arms crossed. What's his excuse for pulling her away from her friends _this_ time? She glared at him while she waited for him to speak.

"Percy, what is it?" He brought her in here so he could stare at her? What joy. As if he doesn't do that enough.

"I- I- I-" He gulped. "Want to a-ask if you'll respect me as a Prefect."

Heather raised an eyebrow. "Is that it?"

"I- I- What?" Percy blushed.

"I said, is that it? Are you going to say anything else?" She stepped closer to the door. Maybe he'd take a hint and move; but of course he just backs up so the door handle is pressing into his back. Snape's going to take points away if she's late for Potions again.

"Are you going to listen to me and follow the rules?" Percy pressed back against the door again. His eyes stared hard into hers.

"No." She frowned. "When do I ever listen to the rules? Percy, you've known me since we were first years. I don't see why you think that you're different." She stepped even closer to him. "Now if you don't mind, I have to go to class. I've got Potions."

Percy moved out of her way. Heather opened the door, about to leave, but at the last second she turned back and faced him. The shock in his eyes astounded her. She couldn't stop herself when she put her hand on his arm and said, "You're cute when you're flustered."

She turned and left the room without a second glance. She walked quickly down the corridor before she realized that Percy had Potions with her. And that he's her partner. And that she'd known him all her life and had never said anything like that _at all_ to him.

What joy this will be! The girls were right about Percy; they always were. Percy's not that bad when you get him to loosen up. During one of his forced study sessions, he told a joke. She didn't laugh, but he knew she found it funny. It was earlier this year, during the first week of term, when she first noticed that he cared about her.

_"Why don't you ever smile?" She remembered him asking her after a few seconds. He nonchalantly fiddled with his quill but she saw right through him. _

_"Why do you act like a pompous prat?" She retorted. She crossed her arms and stared at Percy. His horn rimmed glasses glinted in the candle light. He frowned. _

_"Heather, as a Prefect, I require respect-" _

_"And we both know that's not gonna happen." _

_He gave her a look. She gave him one back. _

_"Heather, I know about your family and how-" _

_She slammed my hands on the table, earning a stern look from the librarian, Madame Prince, and pushed herself close to his freckled face. _

_"You will NOT, under _any _circumstances, bring up- _my_ family- again. Do you understand?" She's _this_ close to Percy. She could see herself in the reflection of his eyes. She could see every freckle, every curl in his red hair. _

_"I- yes." Percy seemed shocked at her outburst. She stood up and gathered her things._

_ "This session is over." She sneered at Percy, and then stormed out of the library. _

Her flashback was over as soon as she entered the Potions classroom.

Professor Snape glanced up at Heather and drawled, "Ten points from Gryffindor, Miss Remington, for being late to class. Now sit down and get to work."

She said nothing as she went to her table to unpack her potion ingredients on the flat surface. Erica and Tina whispered at the next table over; Alyssa grinned cheerily at her. She glanced at the board with the instructions for the assignment. The potion for today is… Amortentia?

A love potion? Are you serious? And Percy is her partner... _Just kill me now._

The door opened, and who else walked through it but Percy Weasley. He put his stuff down at the table he shared with Heather and glanced at her before he walked up to Snape and whispered something, to which Snape nodded too. As Heather got the supplies ready, Percy read over the instructions thoroughly. Speech was not needed as they added the ingredients. Heather turned the ladle occasionally, closely supervised by Percy.

"Percy, for God's sake, I can't work with you watching like that!" She whirled to look at him. He was so close she could see her reflection in his eyes. "Back up a bit."

The other students heard her whisper- shout at him and turned to watch. Everyone shared knowing glances once again as Percy reared up for his attack.

Sure enough, Percy frowned. "Back up a bit? I'm just making sure you don't add the wrong ingredients!" He snatched the ladle from Heather. He added another ingredient and stirred three times.

"Percy! Give me back that ladle!" She grabbed his hand. He paused, shocked that her slender hand was over his. She took her hand away with a start and grabbed for the ladle. Tina smirked at the quarrel between the two Gryffindors and nudged Erica to watch.

"What is this foolishness?" Professor Snape strode up to their table. Heather gave a nasty look to Percy. He awkwardly held the ladle behind his back. By now the entire class was watching the escapade.

"Nothing, Professor." Heather said in mock sweetness. "Percy was just going to give me the ladle when you walked up to the table." Percy gave her a dirty look. She responded with one just as dirty, if not more nasty.

"Mr. Weasley, give Miss Remington back the ladle and get back to work. The Amortentia is due by the end of class." Snape glided like an overgrown bat back to his desk.

"Your potions should be a lavender color by now," He addressed to the class. Everyone jumped and pretended to work. "It should have a very distinct smell that's different for everyone. And don't forget that if you spill the potion, it _will_ stain your clothes."

Heather and Percy's potion was the perfect shade of lavender, and she could distinctly smell three different things: the scent of vanilla, of fresh lilies, and of… Percy Weasley?!

Maybe it was because he was so close to her; that's why she could smell him. It was a mixture of fresh parchment, books, and clean soap; the distinct smell of the pompous Prefect. She quickly dismissed the crazy notion and turned to face him to ask if he wanted her to take the small vial up to be graded.

Percy's foot was where hers needed to be in order to grab the vial, and she accidentally bumped into him as she reached for the vial to take the potion up to Snape.

And when she bumped into him, she somehow managed to spill the potion.

All over her hair.

_My hair._

Immediately Heather felt a tingling sensation in her scalp. She picked up the ends of her long brown hair to see a wave of pink flowing through her hair.

My _hair._

Percy gave a shout when he looked down to help her up. Snape looked up from his desk and gasped. The rest of the class looked back at the table. Percy helped her up gently, the potion getting on his hands. She whimpered, and ran a hand through her pink hair. It was _pink._ Not that she didn't mind pink, but she just… Oh, God, her hair was pink.

The rest of the class gasped when they saw her hair. How could they not? It practically glowed in the dim dungeon light.

"Miss Remington, what did I say about the potion staining your clothes?" The overgrown bat swooped to their table. He stood and tapped his foot.

"With all due respect, sir," She muttered. "These aren't my clothes." She grabbed onto the table to support herself. She was woozy from shock.

"Did you ingest any of it?" That bastard.

"No, sir."

"Then I see nothing wrong. Weasley, take her to the hospital wing, she looks like she's about to be sick."

Heather stared at the professor in horror as he walked back to his desk. Percy grabbed her arm and led her out of the dungeons before she could say another word.

"Don't say anything that'll upset him. He'll just punish you." Percy murmured as they stumbled in the dark. "He's nothing but a bully."

"No shit, Percy." The realization of the situation finally hit her as they made it up to the main floor. It's _pink. _

"Language, Heather."

"Shut the hell up, Percy."

"_Heather…" _

"Percy."

He gave her a look, but by this time they were at the hospital wing. Madame Pomfrey glanced up as they entered the wing.

"Who's the sick one, eh?" She chirped. Percy pushed Heather forward. Heather gave him a look and he backed away from her before she could hit him.

"Well," She said, glaring at Percy. She pushed a lock of hair behind an ear as she continued. "Some Amortentia splashed my hair and now it's… pink. I was wondering if maybe you had a potion I could take to make my hair brown again."

Madame Pomfrey put some papers in her desk before she responded. "Did the Professor say anything about it? Amortentia stains. It will be very hard to make it brown again." She reached out to touch Heather's hair and she flinched. Percy cocked his head as this. Heather ignored him as Madame Pomfrey observed her hair. "Maybe if I give you a hair coloring potion…" She walked off in search of the potion.

"Percy!" Heather growled. "How dare you…" She walked right up to him and continued to chastise him in the errors in his way. Percy couldn't help but notice how… _alive_ she looked. Her eyes were livid, her cheeks were flushed. She was radiant in beauty.

"Percy, are you even listening to me?" Heather waved a hand in front of his face. Even her name was beautiful- _Heather_. He loved how it just rolled off his tongue whenever he said it. "Percy, if you weren't in my way, then my hair wouldn't be pink right now! Ugh, you are such an idiot!"

Percy frowned. "Excuse me; did you just call me an idiot?" _Perhaps he heard her wrong. _

"Yes, Percy, I did!" _He didn't._

"Oh, enough of this squabbling! You two can take your lover's spat outside when I'm through with you!" Madame Pomfrey had come back with a steaming goblet. Percy and Heather turned red and mumbled over each other -

"She's just a friend-"

"Not even friends, I don't even _like _him-!"

"Oh, hush! Here, drink this, and we should see the results in approximately two minutes. If it doesn't help, then you will just have to wait until the pink fades."

Heather all but snatched the goblet from Madame Pomfrey's hands. She gulped down the potion; it tasted like peppermint and basil, an odd combination. "If it doesn't work, then how long should it take to fade?"

"I'm not sure, dearie." Madame Pomfrey took the goblet from her and set a Muggle timer for two minutes. "We'll just have to see." She bustled off to her office.

Heather turned slowly to face Percy. She was furious, he could tell. He moved back behind a bed so she couldn't reach him.

Those two minutes were the longest minutes of her life. She waited anxiously, hoping that her hair would be normal once more. Percy was standing behind a bed, like an idiot, moving from one foot to the other. The timer suddenly rang, a clear and curt noise, and Madame Pomfrey came back from her office carrying a mirror. She took one look at Heather and cried out. Her heart sank. That can't be good.

Heather grabbed the mirror she was holding and gazed into it. Her reflection stared back at her, with her hair an even more shocking pink than before. Tears sprang to her eyes as she pushed the mirror back at Madame Pomfrey. Percy noticed the pain on her face with despair. He knew it was his fault. His foot was in the way because he was trying to smell her, for her scent (the smell of vanilla) was what he smelled in the Amortentia. He was only trying to make sure that his nose wasn't lying, and now look what happened.

"It will fade, I promise," Madame Pomfrey comforted Heather. She patted her back, obviously out of pity. Heather turned from the Healer abruptly and said shakily, "Thank you for your help."

She left the hospital wing without another word; Percy followed her when he decided it was safe and she wouldn't hit him. They walked in silence back down to the dungeons until he stopped and grabbed her arm.

"Heather?"

"What, Percy?" She shook him off.

"Maybe I should go in there and turn in our work." He brushed some hair out of her eyes. "You should go up to the common room to get ready for dinner."

She looked up at him, and stared into his eyes to try and see if he was trying to play a joke on her. She knew that he didn't want me to go back in there with Snape for fear of her temper. Heather didn't question Percy's motives. She nodded her head and turned to leave. She was half way down the corridor when he called, "And Heather?"

She looked back at him over her shoulder.

"I like the pink."


	3. Chapter 3

****Hi(:

Well, this is the month of October. Enjoy and leave a review!

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

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**October**

The weather noticeably turned cold as the winter months approached. The winds were harsh, and every morning came with a light frost over the windows. The castle corridors got steadily colder with every day. Halloween was quickly arriving.

Heather was eating breakfast a week before Halloween when Erica sat down with a flump next to her. Alyssa and Tina sat across from them.

"You three aren't allowed to sit at the Gryffindor tables," Heather said wearily. She told them every morning, but they didn't seem to care. Or pretend to notice.

"I heard that we could dress up for Halloween." Erica announced. She pulled a bowl of oatmeal to her and ignored what Heather said. Heather rolled her eyes as she took a sip of pumpkin juice.

"I heard that too," Alyssa tossed in her two cents. "I wanna go as a cat." She fluffed her auburn hair. "An unlucky one!"

"Dumbledore's supposed to announce it at dinner." Tina ignored the girl next to her. "There's also going to be a party in the Great Hall after the feast on Halloween." She smirked at Heather. "You should go with Percy."

Heather made no response. None was needed.

"I think that Heather should go as a fairy. Her eyes could be perfect for one." Alyssa brushed aside some of Heather's long pink hair.

"I am not dressing up for anything." Heather pulled her hair away from Alyssa's grasp. "And I don't like Percy."

"Oh, come on, Heather! Denial is the first step to admitting that you love him!" Tina exclaimed. There was a gleam in her eyes that made Heather feel uneasy. "We could curl your hair and put sparkles on you and whip you up a pretty dress that matches your eyes!"

"And make fairy wings!" Erica squealed excitedly. Heather moaned aloud at the idiocy of it all.

"No." Heather glared at Tina. Her gray eyes hardened. Tina took the sign and dropped the subject. Someone behind them coughed softly to let their presence known. Heather didn't even have to turn around to know who it was.

"Morning, Heather," Percy Weasley sat down next to her and pulled a plate of eggs to eat. "You girls aren't supposed to sit here. These are the Gryffindor tables." He directed this at the two Hufflepuffs and the Ravenclaw.

The three of them smiled at Percy and indicated that they weren't going to move. Percy sighed and said to Heather, "Did you sleep well?"

"Well enough." Heather grumbled. Alyssa nudged her and smirked in Percy's direction. Heather scowled.

"We'll meet in the library today for our session." Percy told her. He put a napkin in his lap. "Don't be late this time."

"Whatever, Percy."

"As a Prefect-"

"No one gives a damn about you being a Prefect." Heather growled. She stood and grabbed her bag. "I have to go."

The whole group stared at her as she stormed away. Heather heard the footsteps of someone who ran after her, but she didn't look back until she was in the entrance hall. She turned quickly, and turned smack into whoever chased her.

"My head," She mumbled, on the ground, holding her head in her hand. She looked up and saw none other than Percy Weasley standing above her. "Ugh, Percy, what do you want?"

"I merely wished to see if you were ok. You looked pretty upset back there." Percy held his hand out. She denied his help and stood up on her own. Her hair was disheveled and her red and gold tie was crooked, but she didn't care at this point.

"I'm fine, just leave me alone." Heather moved away from him. She walked out onto the grounds. Her footsteps crunched with each step on the partly frozen grass, and the sound slightly comforted her. She heard the crunches behind her that belonged to Percy, the Boy Who Never Listens. He caught up to her and grabbed her elbow.

"Heather-"

"Percy, I thought I told you to leave me alone." Heather whirled around; her pink hair swirled around her face.

"You did but-"

"Then that means to leave me alone," Heather snapped. Her face was still blank, though- not at all matching the emotion in her voice.

"Look, Heather, I'm just trying to help. There's no need to push everyone away." Percy turned to walk away. He was wasting his time with her anyway.

"Wait."

Percy stopped dead in his tracks. Her voice was suddenly softer and much more innocent sounding. He waited for her to speak.

"My mother… my mother isn't well. She has a…." She glanced at the lake behind her. "My mother is a Muggle. She has a disease called cancer, and it's very destructive on the body. She was in remission for the longest time, and she was doing fine, better then she's been in years. I got an owl from her Healer this morning that said her health had started to decline rapidly and she might not make till Christmas." A tear glistened in her gray eyes. "My dad was a wizard. He left us when I was a baby- for another woman. I haven't heard from him since then. I have no other family."

She paused, and looked up at the clear sky above her. A bird chirped merrily in the trees somewhere, the Giant Squid rustled in the lake behind them. Her smooth skin was radiant in the morning sunlight. "Why does everyone keep leaving me?" She whispered. A tear fell from her eye onto her cheek.

"Heather, I- I didn't know." Percy reached for her apprehensively; he knew how she felt about being touched. She rushed to him and hugged him- hard. Percy rubbed her back and tried to sooth her; he tried to understand her. This girl- this girl who hid herself from others- opened up to him. She bottled up her emotions and kept them to herself so no one can see or hear them. She's a guarded person.

Percy had always compared Heather Remington to a block of marble. She was cold and made of stone, but underneath all the layers there was something special. You just had to chip away a little at a time, until something beautiful emerged from the hard stone around it.

That's why she's like stone. She's afraid of getting hurt- of being left behind.

"I'm here, Heather." He whispered to her head. He smoothed her hair with his hand. He loved the feel of her hair under his palm.

"I know," She whispered. She tightened her grip around him. "I know."

…

"Heather, are you going dressed up or not?" Tina poked her friend while applying copious amounts of makeup to herself. She was dressed as an Egyptian princess. She peered into the mirror of the unused classroom they used to get ready for the party. The spacious classroom was littered with makeup tubes and jars, the room was richly scented with different perfumes.

"Heather you have too! We all are!" Alyssa exclaimed as she drew on whiskers and a black nose on her pale cheeks with eyeliner. She was dressed in black clothes and had made a black headband with cat ears on it.

"Please Heather?" Erica held her hands in a pleading position. Her gypsy costume didn't match her curly blonde hair, but she still looked beautiful in it. The small metal coins that hung off her skirt and wrists jingled whenever she moved.

"I don't even have a costume if I did want to dress up." Heather didn't look up from the book she was reading. Erica shared a smile with Tina.

"Oh, that's OK we already made you one!" Tina rushed to the wardrobe they stored their costumes in. She opened it and pulled out a beautiful dress.

It was short and silver; it fluttered in many layers, and it sparkled in the bright firelight of the room. The sweetheart neckline was decorated with rhinestones and the hem was a silver line of glitter. The sleeves were puffy layers of silver fabric.

"Tina, I-" Heather gasped at the beautiful dress.

"And that's not the best part," Erica grinned. She nodded at Tina, who pulled out a set of wings. The wings were also silver, but a sheer silver. They had veins in them like a real fairy's wings, and they flapped delicately as though they breathed.

"Tina, Erica… I can't even…" Heather gazed at the dress and wings before her.

"And there's this!" Alyssa pulled a wreath out of her trunk. It was also silver, and it had enchanted birds that twittered and sang perched on the woven wreath, and it was decorated with different flowers clustered on it.

"Alyssa!" Heather gasped. She was shocked by how much her friends had put into this.

"We all thought that maybe you should put aside the sadness in your life and have some fun for once." Erica said proudly. She held out her arms. Heather ran to her and wrapped her arms across her friends back.

"And so that you could get a certain Prefect's attention." Tina smiled. Heather didn't even chastise her friend. Instead she turned and gave Tina a hug with tears in her eyes.

"Hey now, there's no crying." Alyssa held out her arms too. Heather hugged her as well.

"Get dressed! The party is in ten minutes and we need to do your hair and makeup!" Tina said, and wiped a tear form her eye. She tossed the dress at Heather and she slipped it on. It fit her perfectly.

Erica pulled Heather over to the mirror that had all of the makeup and hair supplies on the vanity. She heated up a Muggle curling iron with a warming charm and loosely curled Heather's pink hair.

"I still can't believe your hair is pink," Alyssa said as she adjusted her cat ears in the mirror next to Heather. "It's been nearly two months since it happened!"

"I think it's gotten even brighter." Heather sighed. Her hair will never be brown again. Alyssa did her makeup, with a shimmery silver eye shadow. She brushed some loose glitter onto her shoulders.

Tina held out the wings and Heather gladly accepted the help. She looked in the mirror and saw a fairy staring back at her.

"Heather, you look so beautiful!" Alyssa cried. She fluffed her auburn hair and grinned. "You outshine the rest of us!"

"We got her dressed and painted in less than five minutes. That's got to be a record." Erica said, checking her watch.

Tina held open the door to the classroom. "Shall we?"

The girls trouped down the corridor towards the Great Hall, but Heather stayed behind to look one last time in the mirror.

_I hope this works, _she thought to herself as she wrenched the door open to walk down the corridor. She never associated with her classmates. She hardly participated in class or went to Quidditch games, let alone _dressing up _for Halloween.

It's not that she was a recluse or anti- social; she's just an introverted girl. She preferred to stay to herself and to not show her feelings. And she does not- does _not- _feel comfortable when everyone's eyes are on her. That's why her pink hair bothered her so much. It attracted too much attention.

All of these thoughts went through her head as she stepped down the corridor barefooted. She could hear the thumping beat of the latest Weird Sister's song playing in the Great Hall. Her heart beat the same way: _thump- the- thump- the- thump_. She opened the door to the Great Hall gently, not wanting to draw attention. She quietly stepped in the Hall, closed the door behind her and turned around.

Nearly everyone stared at her when they heard the creak of the Great Hall door. Most of the boys had dropped their jaws, and the girls looked equally as shocked. Heather immediately knew she shouldn't have dressed up or gone to the party. Whispers spread around the room like wildfire.

"Heather!" Tina pulled her to one of the tables. The students who surrounded her slowly looked away, but many kept their eyes on her. Heather glanced around at the dancing and laughing students and felt uneasy.

"Heather, we have someone for you to meet!" Tina pushed her to the end of the Gryffindor table. "Wait here." She bustled off into the crowd.

"Wait, Tina!" Heather stared apprehensively after Tina. She glanced up at the enchanted ceiling. The moon was a huge orb that hung in the sky, and the stars twinkled merrily around the moon like happy little toddlers. Heather wished to be outside in the chilly air; after all, winter was her favorite time of year, and that season quickly approached. A gasp made her lower her head from her gaze at the ceiling.

There stood Percy, in all of his Prefect- glory. He wore a long black cape and a raised collar; obviously a Muggle vampire. He stood a few yards from where Heather stood with his mouth agape as his eyes took in Heather. Erica loomed behind him and sniggered at Percy behind his back.

"Well, I'll just leave you two alone. Don't have too much fun, you hear?" Erica smirked and left, the coins on her skirt clinked away while she disappeared into the crowd. Heather glanced at Percy, who still stood like an idiot a few feet from her.

"Percy?"

He shook his head. "Heather." He nodded curtly. "I trust you're fine?"

Heather cocked an eyebrow. "I guess."

"You look nice." He stated bluntly. He walked over and sat on the table next to her.

"Thanks," Heather brushed some hair behind her ear and glanced up at the ceiling again.

"Listen, I-"

"I wanted to ask-"

Percy blushed. "Sorry, you go first."

Heather fiddled with the hem of her dress and sat up straighter. "Listen, I wanted to apologize for earlier this week. I didn't mean to dump all of my problems on you like how I did." She glanced up at him. She saw the concern in his eyes. She wanted to take back what she told him; she'd said too much.

"Heather, it's alright." Percy reached out to grab her arm and she flinched and drew her body away from his. He frowned slightly. "You can tell me anything."

Heather didn't know what to say to that. She'd never had anyone tell her that before, not even her friends. It made her feel… different. She wasn't sure if it was a good feeling or not and prayed silently it was.

"Would you care to dance?" Percy stood and gestured to the dance floor. The song had changed to a slow orchestral piece that Heather adored. It was widely known around the Gryffindor tower that Heather only listened to Muggle orchestras instead of the Weird Sisters or Celestina Warbeck or The Remembralls or any other wizarding music.

"Is this…" Heather listened closely to the strings playing. "Is this… _Vivaldi?"_ She squinted up at Percy. "Four Seasons, '_Summer'_?"

"I- I think so." Percy shuffled his feet nervously. He held out his hand. Heather took it cautiously, and allowed him to lead her out onto the dance floor where all the couples were slow dancing. Percy placed his hand around her thin waist. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, bringing them closer together. She watched Percy gulp nervously. Her eyes were glued onto his as they swayed to the music with the movement's slow pace. The movement gradually grew faster and faster, the strings played with frenzy that made Heather's skin tingle with joy. She and Percy danced to the quick tempo of the music, the vibrant sounds and pitches were leading their dance. The movement slowed down again and Heather and Percy slow danced once more before the end of the end of _Summer_. They were closer than before.

"Percy?" She whispered. Her gray eyes watched his blue ones without looking away. He was transfixed by her stare.

"Yes?" Hardly a breath.

"What were you going to tell me?"

Percy stared at her. "What do you mean?"

Heather rolled her eyes. "You were going to ask me something before. What was it?"

Percy blushed once more. He shrugged and said, "I don't know what you're speaking about." He spun her around. "After this song would you care to go on a walk with me?"

Heather frowned. "I suppose." The swirl of uneasiness returned in her stomach. It was odd, having Percy as a dance partner. He was surprisingly graceful and agile on his feet, and he held her close enough she could feel his heart beat. The movement ended and Heather stepped away from Percy apprehensively.

"Heather? Are you alright?" Percy gently brushed some hair out of her face. "Do you need a drink of water?"

"I- I need some air." Heather was surprised at the care Percy gave her. He led her outside to the corridor out of the Great Hall. They walked down to the front steps of the school and sat on the stairs. Heather slid her wings off and placed them next to her. Percy leaned back against the railing of the stairs and looked at Heather. She stared back without blinking.

"Heather?"

"What, Percy?"

"You look nice tonight."

Heather raised an eyebrow. "Percy? Why do you keep saying that?"

Percy winced and turned away. She grabbed his arm forcefully. He turned back to face her again, and she saw the trouble in his eyes. His mouth gaped, looking for lost words, when he kissed her. It was soft and pleasant; his lips were warm against hers. His hand gently touched her lower back, her hands moved to his neck. Heather suddenly realized what was happening. She pulled back, surprised.

"Percy?" She touched her lips. "What the hell?" She was shocked. Her eyes were wide, her cheeks flushed.

"I-" Percy flushed a bright red. "I, uh…" He didn't go on. Heather stared at him with an odd look on her face.

"Let's just pretend that didn't happen." Heather quickly shook her head. She cast her eyes down. "It's already forgotten."

"Of course it is."

"Because it didn't happen."

"Right."

Their night had ended quickly (and awkwardly) after this.

...

It had hurt Heather to say that the kiss was nothing. She knew deep down inside it made her stomach wiggle with butterflies. She knew that she really liked the feel of Percy's lips against hers. When the night was over and her friends asked her how her date with Percy was, all Heather could do was shrug. She didn't tell anyone about how Percy kissed her- or how she secretly liked it. She didn't tell anyone how she enjoyed dancing with Percy. She didn't tell anyone how he had complimented her so many times.

She didn't tell anyone how she secretly had a great time with Percy.


	4. Chapter 4

I apologize in advance for how awkward this chapter may be. For some reason I had the weirdest writer's block for this.

Anyway, enjoy! :)

Don't forget to leave a review so I can know if you loved it, hated it, or didn't care for it! ^.^

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

* * *

_November_

It was a Hogsmeade day. The weather was snowy and bitingly cold. Everyone wore their cloaks pulled tightly over their assortment of layered clothing against the cold, and tried, but failed miserably, to keep the chill out. The passing faces of the students could be seen with rosy cheeks and shivering lips; there was no wonder why nearly every Hogwarts student managed to squeeze themselves in the warm Three Broomsticks.

"I'll get the Butterbeers!" Alyssa announced as she yanked the door open to the pub and vigorously rubbed her arms. She, Tina, Erica, and Heather entered the quaint pub; it seemed as though they had walked into a great wall of sound and laughter. Heather felt her nose start to defrost from the heated room packed with students. Alyssa pushed her way past a few third years and fought her way to the counter to where Madame Rosemerta chatted with a seventh year Hufflepuff. Heather turned her attention from her friend at the bar and gazed around the room.

"There's Oliver wood! I'll be right back," Erica ran off to where the Quidditch players sat. "Find us a table, yeah?" She ordered over her shoulder. Tina and Heather were left in the doorway, and the cold seeped in from the open door. Several of the unlucky students who were forced to sit at the tables near the door hissed angrily at the two to close the door. Tina glared at the younger students before she shut the door with a snap and moved into the warmth of the pub and Heather behind her. The door opened a few moments later, and the students who sat near the door hissed like angry geese again.

Meanwhile, while Tina gave the younger students at those unlucky tables dirty looks, Heather followed Erica with her eyes. She scanned the surface of the Quidditch players' table and looked for familiar faces when a few stood out to her. There were the Weasley twins (those annoying little gits), Alicia Spinnet, Katie Bell, and two Hufflepuffs and three Ravenclaws that she didn't know. Her gray eyes moved down towards the end of the table when a flash of red hair caught her eye. With a jolt she realized that Percy Weasley had been staring at her.

Heather immediately felt self conscious and ran a hand over her bright pink hair. The potion Madame Pomfrey had given her only made her hair an even more shocking pink, and it hasn't faded even a bit since that day. Heather tugged on her Muggle knit gray beanie, the one that matched her eyes, and adjusted her fingerless gloves. Percy didn't know she had noticed him. She felt his eyes bore into her skull.

Tina nudged her with a knowing smile. "Admit it."

Heather glared at her momentarily. "Admit what?" She knew what was supposed to come next. She braced herself for the next sentence.

"Percy fancies you, there's no doubt about it." Tina pulled Heather in the direction of a table where a group of fourth years were clearing out near the Quidditch players. She sat down at the now- empty table and indicated for Heather to join her.

"No, he doesn't." Heather removed her gloves and gently placed them in her cloak pocket. She sat down across from Tina slowly. She saw Percy out of the corner of her eye. She pulled her hair over one shoulder and let it fall gracefully to her waist. Heather discreetly ran a finger over a thin scar on her forearm; a reminder of her past, a reminder of her mum. She tore her eyes away from her arm and locked eyes with Tina. Tina reached forward with her hand and grasped Heather's hand comfortingly. She was the only one of her friends who knew about her mother being sick. She heard footsteps behind her and quickly dropped Heather's hand; Heather had requested Tina not to tell anyone of her mother's illness. The petite Ravenclaw gave Heather a sad smile before she straightened herself up.

"He doesn't what?" Erica strode back from the Quidditch table and plopped down next to Heather. She shook her head, "Never mind, I don't want to know." She turned to Tina. "Oliver said he definitely noticed a change."

Tina giggled and turned to look at the Quidditch table. The messy haired Gryffindor Keeper winked at Tina with a smirk upon his face. Erica nudged Tina from across the table none too softly. "Way to be conspicuous." Erica rolled her eyes. Tina turned back around. Heather glared slightly at Oliver, who pretended as though he didn't see her. _Trust Oliver to act like a prat,_ Heather thought with a grim expression upon her face.

"Sorry." Tina chirped. But she didn't look even the slightest bit sorry.

"What's going on?" Heather was impatient. For some reason, they've been doing this to her, ever since the Halloween party. They spoke in code, and more than once they would abruptly stop talking when Heather approached them. She had a suspicion on what (or rather, _who)_ they would talk about, but she didn't dare voice her thoughts on this matter.

"Oh, nothing." Erica said nonchalantly. Her tone of voice infuriated Heather. "So how was your last study session?" She smiled sweetly at Heather. Heather scowled.

"It was fine." It wasn't, though.

"Did anything… _unusual_ happen?" Tina propped her chin in her hands. _What are they playing at?_

"No." Lies. Something did happen.

_Percy held out the quill. "Now, when you want to list the properties of using a moonstone in a reviving draft, you have to start with the simplest one. Which would be…" He trailed off and waited for Heather to answer. She hadn't moved since she sat down, not even to take the quill and parchment that was held out expectantly from Percy._

_ "I dunno." She shrugged. She could hardly care less about the properties of using a moonstone in anything, to be honest. _

_ "Heather, at least pretend you're paying attention." Percy frowned peevishly. He pushed his horn rimmed glasses up his nose. Heather rolled her eyes._

_ "Whatever, Percy."_

_ Percy reached across the table and physically put the quill in her slender fingers. The second their fingers touched Percy felt as though he was hit with a ton of bricks. Heather glanced up at Percy with those blank eyes before she closed her hand around the quill. He let go of her hand slowly._

_ He coughed awkwardly and shuffled his notes around before he spoke again, only now in a somewhat higher voice. "Write this down: 'The properties of using a moonstone in a reviving draft are…" _

_ Heather could only stare at the creeping blush that snaked its way up Percy's neck as he droned on about moonstones. He pretended not to notice the way Heather looked at him. They both ignored their feelings toward each other._

"Oh, take them, they're hot!" Alyssa came out of nowhere with four steaming mugs of Butterbeer. "The line at the counter was huge! I should have made you all stand in line with me." The three girls were silent and grabbed a mug as Alyssa sat down. She held up her hands and Heather could see her hands were raw and already had little blisters that had formed on her palms. Heather looked into her mug of Butterbeer and swirled it around with the end of a spoon.

"Why don't you cast a burn healing charm?" A voice from behind Alyssa said. _Oh no, not him. _

Heather glanced up and all but spat out the sip she had taken. She sputtered and coughed violently as she observed the blurred outline of Percy Weasley between her squinted eyelids. Tina leaned across the table and slapped Heather on her back, but only made it worse.

"Heather?" Alyssa asked. "Are you alright?" Percy watched Heather closely with concern written all over his face. It made her feel queasy.

"She's fine." Erica smirked. Heather shakily wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and earned a disapproving stare from a blonde Slytherin at the next table for her lack of manners. Heather's cheeks were almost as pink as her hair.

"Heather, are you sure you're alright? Can you breathe?" Percy reached across the table and moved a stray lock of hair off her forehead. She allowed him; his hand felt cool against her heated temples. She closed her eyes and relished the feel of his hand against her skin. Someone in the distance dropped their mug and yanked Heather out of her reverie. The whole table stared at her when she opened her eyes. She pushed Percy's hand away quickly with a look of distaste upon her face. She had forgotten where she was- and she didn't even _like _Percy!

The silence was so intense that when Oliver Wood came to their table to say hello he glanced at the red- faced Heather and the shocked faces of everyone else he calmly backed away and said, "This is definitely a bad time. I should uh… go now."

"No, you stay!" Erica pulled Oliver back to the table. Oliver gave her a reproachful glare but all the same pulled up a chair.

"You're lucky you're cute," Oliver muttered as he crossed his arms. Erica blushed and kissed his cheek. The sight of the two lovebirds made Heather nearly want to vomit. She had to get away from them- all of them.

"I have to go." Heather stood hastily. She abandoned her cloak in favor of leaving the pub as fast as she could and nearly pushed Madame Rosemerta over as she scrambled to the exit. She passed the group of students who hissed whenever the door was opened. She heard Percy shout her name as she opened the door to a flurry of snow.

The frozen matter floated delicately from the heavens and tangled itself in Heather's hair. All Heather wanted was to get away from the Three Broomsticks as fast as she could, although she regretted how she left her cloak behind. She pulled her dark purple robe closely around her and hoped to try and block out at least _some_ of the cold. The pub doors opened as she sped away towards the direction of the Shrieking Shack.

"Heather!" A familiar voice called. Heather groaned inwardly. What could the Prefect want this time? She waited until he was close before she started to walk to the clearing in front of the Shack. She stopped at the fence before the valley that was in front of the Shack. She peered in between the holes in the fence and gazed at the dilapidated building. Percy caught up to her and tapped her shoulder. Heather glanced at him.

"What… what happened back there?" He asked bossily. He put his hands on his hips. "As a Prefect, I demand to know."

"Oh, as a _Prefect, _you say? I didn't know you were a Prefect!" She said sarcastically. "You should have told me; I would have bowed down and worshipped you if I had known." She rolled her eyes. She tapped his Prefect badge with a sneer on her face.

Percy puffed his chest out. "Heather, that was rude." He frowned and pushed his glasses up his nose. She scowled.

Percy was shocked. Heather was never this rude or mean to him. Yes, she constantly put him down and mocked him, but never like this. Her pink hair blew slightly in the wind as she turned back to face the Shrieking Shack. Percy tried to make sense of what just happened.

"Heather, what is wrong with you?" He asked. He brushed some hair off her shoulder. She glared at him.

"Oh, so something is wrong with me now, eh?" She arched an eyebrow. Percy couldn't help but feel scared.

"N- no, I didn't say that-" Percy stuttered. He held his hands up in a mock surrender.

"But. You. Did." She poked his chest with each word. She huffed, the warm air created a small puff of heat in the cold winter air. She turned back to the Shack without another word.

"You might need this." Percy held out her cloak. She stared at it for a second and grabbed it. She glanced at him, her eyebrows furrowed. She threw the cloak around her shoulders silently. He waited for a word, any word, of gratitude. Something even as _'get the hell out of my face'_ would have been appreciated.

"Thanks," She muttered. She refused to look at him.

It was good enough for him.


	5. Chapter 5

Sorry for the long wait! I've been extremely busy with school and life in general, but I pretty much have the next chapter written, so it's just a matter of time before I have the next one posted! Thanks for reading my story. I appreciate each and every one of you.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

* * *

_December_

It was definitely December. The castle corridors were so cold that the students had taken to wear their cloaks between classes. Every morning the windows were frosted to the point where nobody could see through the glass. It was the night before the students left for winter break; the Gryffindor common room was packed with people. There were crowds of sixth years on the couches near the fireplace, a small herd of third years jumbled around the portrait entrance. Everyone talked with someone else, except for one lone figure by the windows.

Her slim body was outlined in moonlight. Her fingers traced the window with a look of longing upon her face. Her long pink hair tumbled to her waist in waves and curls. Troubled thoughts chased each other in her mind, one after another. She absently braided a stray lock of hair just to keep her fingers busy. She paid no attention to the holiday festivities that were going on behind her. Soft footsteps approached her in the form of a red headed boy. He had no intention to say anything, but of course, his brain didn't listen. 

"You look beautiful tonight, Heather." The words had just popped out of his mouth without him even knowing what he was saying. She jumped, obviously startled. She turned from the window with her mouth open in shock. He kept a calm disposition as he noticed how her mouth was a perfect _o _of surprise. She ran a hand through her hair and adjusted her long skirt. Her snow white skin had flushed a delicate pink. He felt an odd thrill of joy in his stomach. His eyes took in her long skirt, her boots, and the way she blushed.

_She's blushing!_

"What…? Percy, I-" Her eyes twinkled the smallest bit. "Thanks." Her eyes flashed in the moonlight. Suddenly he was close to her, so very close- he reached out for her, and she reached out for him; their lips about to touch-

Percy opened his eyes. He stared at the top of his bed in disappointment as he pulled the blanket over his face and groaned. He vaguely heard Oliver rustling around in the dorm.

_It was nothing but a dream._

Percy knew these dreams were wrong. As a Prefect, he felt that dreaming about his fellow classmates in- uh- _that_ way was mildly inappropriate. He knew that it was improper, yet Percy couldn't help but allow his mind to wander.

Why would Heather try to kiss him after she plainly made it clear that she didn't like him? The Prefect side of him knew that this was not logical in any shape, yet the teenage boy side of him lingered on the thought of Heather possibly fancying him. If she did fancy him, then they would walk to class together, study together, and talk about going into the Ministry together…

Percy mentally slapped himself. _Pull yourself together, Percy. _He was talking about _Heather_, for God's sake.

Heather was the _complete_ opposite of him. His path was a straight line, hers was jagged and curved. He ate all of his vegetables, she never ate in general. He came from a big family, she was an only child. He was a ginger, and she had pink hair. Or maybe she had a sister. Maybe she did eat, but when he wasn't around (and her hair used to be brown, but that was beside the point).

The more that Percy thought about it, he realized he didn't really know Heather at all. The only thing he knew about her was the fact that she has a Muggle mother who was ill. He knew she disliked school and refused to study or do any homework yet managed to pull straight O's on everything, which astonished him to no level.

He suddenly came to the conclusion that basically all the information he knew about Heather were things an acquaintance of hers may know.

That last thought hurt. He's known her all these years and never had the thought to ask her what her plans were when she grew older, or her hopes, her dreams. He just brushed her aside like everyone else did. Her friends were the ones who truly knew her.

He made a mental note to talk to the least annoying one, the small one in Ravenclaw, about this.

Percy got out of bed and started to get ready, but he did so quietly. Oliver Wood was still asleep in his bed, or so it seemed. As Percy got dressed, he didn't notice the open brown eyes of the rugged Quidditch player following his movements.

* * *

It was early. The sun just barely had broken over the horizon, and scattered streaks of pink and orange in the sky. A bird trilled in the distance. Heather gazed out the window with apprehension. Her cold gray eyes were filled with trouble.

She was supposed to receive a letter today from her mother, Hadley. It was the day before the rest of the student body left for winter holidays, and Heather still didn't know if she was staying at school or if her mother wanted her to go home. Hadley said in her last letter that she had a new treatment done and wouldn't know the results until today. In the distance, soaring over the Forbidden Forest, Heather saw Twigs, Heather's tawny owl. It had a scrap of parchment tied to its leg.

Heather saw the response tied to the leg of her owl and quickly ran downstairs from her dorm to the common room. She threw the window open just as Twigs flew to the glass. The beautiful owl landed gracefully on a chair near the window. She held her leg out expectantly for Heather to take the letter.

Heather pulled the letter gently from her owl. Twigs gave her a look of disbelief when Heather didn't reward her with a treat. The owl nipped her hand before she flew off into the distance. Heather glanced at the bite. There was a bright red mark on her hand, but she was more interested in the scrap of parchment in her hands.

Heather unrolled the paper carefully. She tried not to make too much noise; she was in the common room all alone in the early morning. It was the day before the students were supposed to leave on winter holiday. She moved close to the window and squinted at the loopy handwriting her mother possessed.

_Daughter,_

_ I am writing to you to tell you that I have gone into remission! The kind doctors said that with a few surgeries and one more treatment of chemotherapy and I'll be cancer free. Now, if that isn't a Christmas miracle, then I don't know what one is. _

_ I'm telling you this so you know that I'm doing much better. I no longer need to live in the assisted living home. I am well enough to live on my own, so long as I take my medication and am responsible for the doctor visits. So, now that I'm feeling better, I have two choices for you: you can either stay at Hogwarts for the Christmas holidays or you can come home. _

_I won't be home most of the time (I have many different doctors, nearly one visit for each day of the week!) and I'll be with your grandmum for the rest of the time. It's understandable if you wouldn't want to come home. If I were you, I'd stay at school rather than getting dragged from doctor to doctor. I wish for you to have a happy Christmas!_

_Write me every day, I love you!_

_ Mum_

Heather's mouth opened with shock. Her lips were a perfect, round _o_ of surprise. Her mother was… free! She no longer had to suffer! Heather could jump with joy. Her eyes swelled with tears.

The door to the boy's dormitory opened. A curly haired boy stepped out and softly closed the door before he turned around and noticed Heather.

"Heather? What are you doing up?" The Prefect asked. He frowned. "It's early." The weak sunlight glinted off his glasses. He saw her wet eyes and a strange glow to her pale face.

Heather smiled shyly. She held up her letter. "Because of this."

If Percy wasn't surprised by how nice Heather acted, then he was definitely surprised by her smile. The corners of her lips lifted slightly, as though she had forgotten how to smile. The bright light in her eyes made Heather even more radiant in the morning sun. Her pink hair shone and her gray eyes looked alive.

"What is that?" Percy crossed the room slowly. Her happy face made him feel uneasy. Had she planned something against him?

Heather walked toward him and met him half way. They stopped, inches apart, her face directly below his. Her gray eyes were lit up in joy, her smooth skin radiant in the morning sun. He put his arm awkwardly over her shoulder, something he's seen Oliver Wood do with girls, and pulled her close to him. She leaned into his chest and sighed.

"My mum's better," She mumbled into him. "She's doing much better now."

Percy smiled. "That's terrific, Heather!" Maybe she wouldn't be as cold now that her mother was well. He leaned back from her and held her chin in his hands. Her wide gray eyes were empty, yet they seemed to be full of light and energy. He could feel the intoxicating touch of her sweet breath on his cheek. He silently moved a strand of hair from her forehead. In return she brushed a curl behind his ear. He shivered unintentionally at her touch and she smirked, a fire in her eyes.

His mind moved fast. Heather confused him. The Prefect part of his brain noticed that whenever she was close to show her emotions, she would escape the situation (except for right now). She always ran from her troubles instead of confronting them. The teenage boy part of his brain noticed that Heather Remington was in his arms, and she wasn't mouthing off to him. The thought of this happening never occurred to him. The very idea of Heather touching him in a non- violent way was very odd indeed. Heather seemed to have read his mind and she pinched him in the arm. He rolled his eyes and heard a snort from down below. She was laughing at him in her way of not laughing. He put the fact that she was teasing him behind him. Here she was (physically, no less!) in his arms. Surely this was but a dream. A cruel, sick dream.

But, nevertheless, he liked it. He enjoyed it, actually.

"You're thinking too loud. I can hear the unused parts of your brain screaming in protest." Heather mumbled; her eyes closed. She wrapped her thin arm around Percy and burrowed into his chest. Delicious shivers erupted from the touch of her face against his chest. Her pink hair shone in the now- risen sun and tickled his nose.

"Thanks, Heather."

"Anytime." Her sarcasm hurt.

"Are you going home for the winter holidays?" He asked her in the most dignified manner he could muster. She slowly unwrapped herself from him and took a step back. Percy couldn't help but stare at her.

"I don't think so. My mother wishes for me to stay at school, since she wouldn't be home most of the time- doctors, you know," she added to Percy's confused expression. "Uh, Muggle Healers." She corrected herself.

"Are any of your friends staying at school?" Percy asked. He tried to sound nonchalant. He came off sounding arrogant.

"No," Heather turned from him, but not before she gave him an odd look. She walked back to the table and grabbed a spare bit of parchment and a quill. She scribbled a reply.

"I'm staying," Percy prompted her. She glanced up at him with an arched eyebrow. He awkwardly pulled a chair up to the table Heather was at and sat down across from her. She stared at him with those haunting eyes.

Percy gulped. How could someone who was shorter than him be so intimidating? She closed her eyes and basked in the sunlight that streamed through the open window. There was an uncomfortable silence. Percy gazed at her. Her hair sparkled in the sun; her skin glowed like a star. She was stunning even in the early morning.

"Heather, I was -er,- thinking about the Halloween party, and-" Drat. There went his mouth again.

She opened her eyes suddenly and said loudly, "I thought we weren't going to discuss that." He didn't have to ask what she meant.

"Heather, this is something different." Percy didn't even know why he bothered anymore with her. She sat back in her seat and looked up at him with those cold gray eyes.

"Then what?" Her tone was just a few notches under nasty. Her body visibly tensed.

"I had a great time." He watched as her face changed from one of anger, to suspicion, and finally to ease. Her pale face fell blank. The accusatory wrinkles of blame on her forehead had disappeared, as did the glare of annoyance.

She pulled her chair back to the table. She grabbed onto the smooth wood and fell silent. Her eyes closed softly; her eyelashes cast long, spidery shadows on her smooth cheek.

"It was…" She paused. She opened her eyes. "Alright," she said slowly. She looked up at him and saw that his face had fallen. The memories of the party resurfaced in her head. She remembered the Muggle Orchestra song that played, and how Percy danced with her. She remembered how her friends put so much thought into her costume when she never even wanted to dress up. She remembered the kiss she and the Prefect shared.

Heather pulled her chair close to his and moved her face close to his. She was so close to him, just like in his dream. She was so close, and he was just as close, and her head moved even closer still, their lips about to touch-

The boys' dormitory door closed with a loud creak. Heather jumped away from Percy as though she was burned. Percy watched as she gathered her letter and swiftly walked to the girls' dorm. She didn't look back as Percy stared after her.

"So, what'd I miss?" Oliver Wood sat in the vacated chair. He clapped his hands together once enthusiastically. His puppy dog eyes infuriated Percy to no end.

"Shut up, Oliver," Percy groaned. He sank back into the chair.

"Oh, seems as though I've touched a nerve," Oliver smirked. His innocent façade annoyed Percy. The Quidditch player did this on purpose, the Prefect was sure of it.

"You touched nothing." Percy put his nose in the air and stood. "If you'll excuse me, I have to go do my rounds."

"Woah, Weasley." Oliver grabbed the back of Percy's sweater. "You're not going anywhere. Sit." He threw the ginger back into the chair. "Now tell me what just happened."

Percy gave a look to Oliver. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Oliver crossed his arms with a smug grin. "Heather."

"And what about her?" Percy didn't notice how quickly (and correctly) Oliver had guessed on what just happened. Percy shuffled his feet to keep warm.

"She just bloody kissed you!" Oliver yelped. Percy glared at him. "Or she almost did. But that's not the point, Percy! The point is that you're one step closer!"

"One step closer-?"

"Did you tell her that you're in love with her?" Oliver interrupted. Percy felt miffed.

"I'm not in love with her." He said stiffly. A tell- tale blush crept up the side of his neck. Oliver grinned.

"Of course you're not." The Quidditch player slapped the Prefect in the back of the head and rolled his eyes. "Now, if _you'll _excuse _me,_ I have to go say goodbye to Erica before she leaves." Oliver stood and flicked the back of Percy's head as he left the table. Percy was left to grumble to himself as he left the common room to do his Prefect rounds.

Who was Oliver to say that he was in love with Heather? Percy hardly even had _those_ kinds of feelings for her.

But what if he did?

Percy sighed. If these thoughts were going to fill his head while on his rounds, then he was going to have a headache later.

* * *

It was Christmas Eve. The Gryffindor common room was mostly empty, save for the Weasley's, the Potter kid, and Heather. The four boys sat around the fireplace and joked around merrily as Heather sat silently on the armchair closest to the flames. She watched as the twins played jokes on each other and the younger Weasley (she could never remember his name) and the Potter boy played Wizard chess.

"Checkmate!" The youngest Weasley (Ruben? Raymond? Ralph? She knew it started with an R) cried, as the black king dragged off another piece. "Bloody hell, Harry, you have to watch your queen!"

Harry grinned bashfully and snuck a glance at Heather before he responded with, "Whatever, Ron. Seamus' chess pieces don't trust me at all." (_Ron! That's what it was.)_

"Excuses, excuses," Ron chuckled as he re-set the board with the chess pieces. Heather watched, amused, as Harry yet again lost the game.

"Could I have a go?" She smirked. She was surprised that she had even asked; the boys' gaping mouths proved that she wasn't the only shocked one.

"Sure," Both boys said together. They both stood at once and gestured for her to play. Ron pushed Harry out of the way as Heather gracefully sat where he was before. She had the black pieces, Ron had the white.

"I'll go easy on you," Ron assured her. Harry settled down in an armchair close to them to watch. Heather rolled her eyes at this. She knew very well how to play chess, but she didn't tell the younger Weasley.

Heather moved her first pawn forward; Ron did the same. She moved her second pawn; Ron did the same. She captured his second pawn while in return he took her first pawn. Ron watched her carefully, staring only at her eyes. Heather suddenly realized what he was doing.

Ron was copying her. He watched her eyes as they scanned the board. Heather quickly changed her tactics. When she looked at one side of the board, she planned to move a piece from the other side. At first, Ron was confused and lost quite a few pieces. Within minutes she won the game.

"What-?" The ginger stood incredulous. "How did you do that?"

"Do what, dear brother?" One of the twins came over_. _He glanced at the board and let out a whistle. "Miss Remington beat you. I never thought I'd see the day when you lost a game of chess."

The other twin joined the group that surrounded the board. "Miss Remington? You mean-" He glanced at the other twin. "_The_ Miss Remington? The Heather Remington we've been hearing about so much from our dear brother Percy?"

"By George, I think you're right! She _is_ the Heather Remington we've been hearing about from our dear brother Percy!"

"Are you?" George (Or was it Fred?) asked.

"Am I what?" Heather arched an eyebrow.

"Heather Remington!" The other exclaimed, exasperated.

"No," Heather mumbled. "My name is Wren." A lie, but what do they need to know?

The portrait door opened. Heather turned, startled, before she realized it was Percy who came into the common room. He briskly walked over to the group and said, "Hello, Heather. I trust your evening was well?"

Heather cringed as the twins looked from Percy to Heather in astonishment.

"But you said-"

"Wren-"

"Percy-"

"Heather?" They both said at once. One gave the other a look. The other responded with a glance just as devious.

"Oh, yes, Madame Remington, how do you do today?" Fred (she was just guessing now on who was who) held his hand out and bowed. He pretended to push a pair of glasses up his nose. There was no secret on who he imitated. Ron and Harry snickered into their palms. Heather turned slightly pink.

"Mister Weasley! Splendid, very splendid indeed." George mock- curtsied. "I trust your day was well, Mister Weasley?"

"Fantastic, utterly brilliant; gracias, Madame Remington." Fred bowed again. "May I just say how lovely your hair is in the moonlight? The pink makes me wish to write poetry whilst under the stars."

Percy turned red, from either anger or embarrassment, and Heather scowled furiously. The twins cackled evilly and pranced out of the common room before the Prefect or the pink haired girl could say anything. As the portrait door swung shut, Percy rounded on the two first years. He opened his mouth and the boys ran up to their dorm right as Percy was about to speak. He made a frustrated noise and turned to Heather.

Her eyebrow was arched in that condescending manner that always made his insides crawl. Her pink hair cascaded down her back.

"I, uh, wish to apologize for my, uh, brothers." Percy said. He awkwardly scratched his head. "They sometimes don't know when to stop."

Heather was silent. She pulled her hair around her shoulder and looked up at Percy. The Prefect could smell the sweet smell of vanilla wafting off of her. He walked to the chess board and gazed at the pieces. Small footsteps followed him.

"Here," she said. She handed him a rook that had fallen on the ground. Their fingers brushed momentarily. Heather smirked and glanced down at the checkered square.

"Your brothers are something else." She commented. Percy frowned at this. "They did say something peculiar, though."

"What was it?"

Heather smirked again. "One of them asked me if I was Miss Remington…"

"That was Fred," Percy grumbled under his breath.

"… The Miss Remington that their brother Percy talked about so frequently."

The effect her words had was immense. Percy fell over, startled; he took the chess board and the little table with him. He sputtered as he righted himself off the floor. His glasses were askew and a random curl poked up on the side of his head. His Gryffindor tie was crooked.

"I don't- I haven't- No-" He bleated as he stood up. He towered over Heather with his long and lean frame. He glanced at Heather, who had been staring at him amusedly. His face was on fire. He wanted to jump off the Astronomy Tower.

In truth, he spoke of her constantly at home. He told his mother about the girl with pink hair, the girl who refused to try anything academic wise and still made outstanding grades. His brothers must have overheard him telling his mother about Heather. _Oh, the embarrassment… _

"No," He loudly denied. He backed up from the pink pixie. "I don't know what they were talking about." Heather had a gleam in her eyes. He didn't feel comfortable with her so close to him. She followed him with her eyes.

"Of course you don't." She rolled her eyes. Percy breathed a sigh of relief. She didn't press him for details. She did, however, reach out and smoothed the curl that stuck out in an odd direction. Her fingers in his hair made a tingle run down his spine. He closed his eyes for a fraction of a second. When he opened them, he could tell that she noticed this. He winced to himself.

"I have to go to bed now," She said abruptly. She turned and walked to her dorm. Before she opened the door, she turned around and said softly, "Happy Christmas, Percy."

She was gone before he could say anything else.

Percy stood there for several minutes. He felt many things, but he felt confusion the most. He had no idea why Heather acted so... off. Or why he felt incredibly awkward around her.

He heard the twins come in through the portrait door, and he scurried off to his dorm before they stepped into the common room. He really didn't want to let his brothers see him in a time like this.

* * *

Christmas day arrived with the sky full of snow. The Hogwarts grounds were filled with snow. The air was chilly in the empty girls' dorm, where Heather had just woken up. Her eyelids fluttered open. She took in her surroundings, as how she did every morning. She sat up slowly and stretched slowly. A wrapped package on her night stand caught her eye. She grabbed it slowly; as though she were afraid it would jump out and bite her.

The wrapper was a bright and cheery pink; obviously it was from her mother. Heather carefully read the little note attached to the small parcel: _Happy Christmas to the greatest daughter! Lots of love, Mum._ Under the wrapper was a new Muggle dress that was a navy blue. It floated to just above the knee. It was strapless, and it had a little belt to cinch in the waist. Heather smiled to herself and decided she would wear it to Christmas dinner.

Erica gave her a box of homemade cookies; Alyssa, various makeup items; Tina, an assortment of candy. Heather received a new quill from her grandmother. She found a box with a hand- knitted sweater in it. She had no idea who sent the sweater, seeing as neither her mum or grandmother knew how to knit, but it was thick and warm and a pleasant shade of cream. She put it on over her sleep shirt and planned to find out who sent it later.

Heather cleared her gifts away. She left the warmth of her bed and placed the new quill carefully in her bag. When she opened the bag, a small box tumbled out. At first, the box went unnoticed. When Heather had gotten dressed and applied some of the new makeup Alyssa had sent her, she saw the box in the corner of her eyes and vaguely remembered how it fell out of her school bag.

Heather picked up the box curiously. She observed the package slowly. It was light, it was wrapped in brown paper, and it made a funny noise when she shook it. Heather wandered back to her bed, turning the mysterious box over and over in her hands. She sat on the edge of her bad and rolled the sleeves of her new sweater up before she undid the cherry red bow. A glint of a red ink in the shape of a name on the package where the ribbon had been was written in a neat cursive that she was for sure belonged to a certain Prefect. Heather was mildly surprised. She hadn't expected anything from him.

The brown paper fell off. Under the coffee colored exterior was a small white box with a note attached to the lid. She slowly pulled the letter to her and placed the small box beside her on the bed. She walked to the window so she could read the letter in better light.

_Heather,_

_I hope you like the gift. I picked it out specifically with you in mind. I thought it might match your eyes. _

_Happy Christmas, _

_Percy Weasley, Prefect_

_Ps, if you received a sweater, it's probably from my mum._

Well that explained the sweater. If the twins were right with their claims of Percy talking about her at home, then the sweater from Mrs. Weasley was understandable. Heather glanced down at the back of the note. She traced a finger over the indent of his writing. _He was nervous when he wrote this, _Heather thought to herself with genuine surprise.

Heather walked back to her bed and placed the note down and picked up the box. She held it briefly in her slender fingers and wondered what might be within the white walls. She gently took the lid off and was met with white tissue paper. She held the box in one hand and flicked away the paper with the other. She was met with something that made her gasp.

There, nestled between the thin papers, was a necklace. It was a silver chain with a small pendant of a rose. The rose was beautiful. If she put the rose in the light it twinkled merrily. Heather gazed at the necklace. She stood and walked to the common room, where she expected to find Percy.

She opened the door to the common room and poked her head out. She saw the red headed Prefect sitting on the couch, munching on a piece of toast and reading the paper. She tried to sneak back to the girl's staircase but much to her prevail her pink hair swung forward and got caught on the door handle. She instinctively squeaked as she felt her hair pull against her head. She winced as she heard him jump to his feet in fright. She was stuck to the door! She tried to yank her hair off the handle, but that only succeeded in getting it even more tangled to the door.

"Heather?" A familiar voice asked. Heather groaned inwardly. "May I ask what you are doing?" His Prefect badge glinted in the morning sun.

Heather didn't answer at first. How could she reply? _Oh, so sorry, Percy, but I was just trying to check to see if you were in the common room so I could know if I could sneak myself out of the common room. _Not a chance.

"Heather, are you all right?"

Heather rolled her eyes. "Yes, Percy I'm perfectly fine." She tugged at her hair. He noticed the struggle Heather had against her hair and softly helped her untangle it. She stood quite still as he ran his fingers through her hair. He couldn't believe she allowed him to help her. Normally she would refuse his help even if it meant being stuck for hours. Her hair was so soft, and it glided over his fingers like water. Within seconds she was free of the door.

Heather righted herself and ran a hand through her hair. She had something in her hand that glinted silver in the morning sunlight. Percy observed she wore the sweater he told his mother not to make.

"I, uh," Heather stuttered. "I want to, uh, thank you for the necklace. It was truly beautiful." She held it out and turned it around. "Could you help me put it on?"

Percy nodded, unable to speak. He took the thin chain in his fingers and looped it around her slender neck. He brushed his fingers against her skin with doing the clasp. Her pale skin was smooth, smooth as a bird's egg. She turned around. He could see himself in her gray eyes.

"You're welcome," Percy breathed. She brushed a curl off his forehead and kissed his cheek. She held his face in her hands for a few moments, staring into his eyes, before she let go and walked to the portrait door. Percy was entranced with her.

Percy shook his head and walked back to his dorm. Seeing her sweater reminded him of the knitted garment that surely waited for him with the rest of his gifts. He tried, but failed, to stop himself from thinking about Heather.

As Percy ducked into his dorm room he vaguely heard Fred and George shouting happily in the first years' dorms. He strode to their room with the sweater on his arm and said peevishly, "What's all this noise?"

Fred grabbed the sweater from him. "P for Prefect! Get it on, Percy, come on, we're all wearing ours, even Harry got one." For a second Percy thought he said Heather.

"I—don't—want—" Percy sputtered thickly as the twins forced the sweater over his head. They nearly broke his glasses in the process of doing so.

"And you're not sitting with the Prefects today, either," George said. "Christmas is a time for family.

They frog- marched Percy from the room, his arms pinned to his sides by the sweater. Percy was full of relief when he realized Heather was still not in the common room. He would have died of embarrassment if she was.

* * *

Thank you for reading(:

I would love some feedback! Thanks to those who have reviewed already, I love you all. Reviews are kind!


	6. Chapter 6

**I am so sorry I haven't updated in a while!** I've been working on my non- fanfic novel a lot, and my eleven year old brother is in the hospital, so that's why I haven't worked on this lately. My brother should be out in a day or so, but your prayers (if you pray) would be welcome(:

**Wolvesarylife1: **Thank you for your review! Who doesn't love Percy stories? He's just so awkward that it makes it fun to write him (Does that even make sense? Lol). Regarding your question, I think the "time for family" scene is in Percy's fifth year, when he is first made a Prefect, but if it's not, then sorry for miscalculating the time period! It's definitely in the first book, though, and that's where I copied it out from.

And just an author's note: Heather's hair is a bright shade of pink. Like a magenta pink, not a light pink. (Just wanted to make that clear in case anyone got confused)

Oh, and this chapter was really long so I split it into two parts (it might go to three parts).

Leave a review if you liked Part One of January, leave a review if you hated it. I'll appreciate it any way. I want to be a better writer, and the reviews help me a lot.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, although I do own Heather.

And without any further ado, let us go to the story! :)

* * *

_January, part one_

The library was always a sanctuary to him. Every day, hundreds, if not thousands (or even millions!) of books surrounded him, and each of them waited to be lifted off the shelves to share their knowledge with him. They called to him; they whispered his name, to pick a lucky book off the shelf to read.

To him, the pages of a book were like a musical score, and he was the conductor. He felt like when he walked around to find something to read, that was when the crowd whispered to each other while the musicians tuned their instruments. He would grab a book, check it, and put it back: that would be the orchestra warming up. He grabbed another: that was also another warm up to get the musicians' fingers ready to play. He'd grab a third, and the orchestra lifted their instruments and waited for the conductor to count the first few measures. Then, when he would begin to read the first page, _that_ was when the musicians played sweet music in his ears. Each word was a different note; every paragraph was a different measure… it was like heaven to his ears, like pure bliss.

But lately, the books weren't doing a good job to try and keep his attention. The orchestra that played in his ears when he read hit sour notes and played the wrong rhythm. The music slipped away into nothingness and instead filled his mind with a dull buzz. And Percy Weasley knew exactly what (or rather, _who_) caused it.

It was Heather Remington. For the past few weeks he couldn't get the thought of her out of his head. He would be in the middle of Transfiguration, and then he would hear her whisper something to that annoying friend of hers, the blonde curly headed one, and would close his eyes to the sound of her clear voice. He would prune a honking daffodil in Herbology and he would catch sight of her long pink hair in the corner of his eyes and ached to run his fingers through the long locks, just how he did to help her be free from the door on Christmas day. He would add an ingredient to a sleeping drought in Potions and see the reflection of those tantalizing gray eyes in the cauldron's contents. At lunch he would ask for the salt, and after the normal blank look she would give him, she would hand it to him, and accidentally touch his hand.

And she still wore the necklace he gave her for Christmas every day.

He had no idea why he felt like this for her. It was as though he saw her in a whole new light. Now, whenever he saw her, it was like she sparkled. She moved gracefully where ever she walked; she practically floated. Her steps were light, delicate, and full of bounce. Ever since her mother went into remission, Heather was a whole new person. Her lips twitched slightly when she found things funny; almost like she had to try to remember how to smile. Her eyes were no longer as empty as they were before (they were still blank, of course, but not empty).

Before, when they were younger and when he was an awkward twelve year old, he vaguely brushed her away after their study sessions to focus on more important things like homework or trying to ignore Oliver's teasing.

But now… now he wanted to talk to her more. Now he brought up different subjects he knew she was interested in, instead of babbling nervously about his plans to be in the Ministry one day. Now he brought up studies on different plants (her favorite subject was Herbology), he researched different Muggle orchestras to talk about (her favorite type of music, although he had began to like that genre of music as well), and offered to teach her how to fly, since she had missed the lessons they took with their class when they were young. She was sick or something that day; he couldn't clearly remember, but he knew she wasn't there when the whole class learned how to fly.

"_You_ know how to fly?" She smirked when he first offered her. "I don't believe it." He pulled his head out of the clouds and looked at her squarely in the face.

"I do!" He insisted rather pompously, he'd admit. "Look, meet me in the Quidditch pitch on Friday after dinner. I'll teach you how to fly." He had no idea how to fly, what was he getting himself into? He could hardly even hold a broomstick upright.

"My, my, Percy Weasley… you are just a bundle of surprises, aren't you?" She wasn't smiling but he heard it in her voice. The corner of her mouth twitched. Laughter danced in her eyes and she looked surprisingly alive. Percy felt his stomach lurch. What was happening to him? Did he need to see Madame Pomfrey? His fingers burned with the want to stroke her soft cheek. There must be something wrong with him.

They had departed after her comment, seeing as some idiot first year managed to set his robes on fire by accident just by walking in the hallway and Percy was the only Prefect on the scene. He sighed as he went to put the fire out with his wand. When the fire was out the first year, Longbottom or whatever, thanked him profusely as Percy tried to see where Heather was. She had disappeared, but left a note levitating in midair. With the voice of the first year ringing in his ears, Percy grabbed the note. He rushed to the Prefect's bathroom to read it. He dodged Peeves on one floor, he narrowly missed a fellow Prefect in a doorway, and he nearly knocked over Professor McGonagall.

"Watch where you're going, young man!" She said after him. She chuckled to herself. Minerva had definitely noticed the way the young Prefect looked at Miss Remington, and yet who hadn't? The other professors had taken bets on when the two would get together (her bet was by June; Flitwick's by Easter holiday, and Dumbledore had placed his bet on the last second at the train station at the end of the year).

She was _all_ for the two of them to put their differences aside and talk more. Minerva was surprised it had taken all these years for Weasley to recognize his feelings. She had the impression that Miss Remington had a vague idea about her thoughts toward the young man, but Minerva was no fool. She's been a teacher for more than twenty years and alive for more than fifty- she knew when someone was in love when she saw it!

Percy slid on the stone floor. He reached the Prefect's bathroom and gasped, "Pine fresh, pine fresh!"

The painting swung forward and he was greeted by the lovely bathtub sparkling with water. He walked calmly in the marble bathroom and checked if there was anyone else in there. When he was sure he was the only one in there, he opened the letter to read, and settled down on the window seat that overlooked the Forbidden Forest.

_Percy,_

_I will gladly meet you at the Quidditch pitch on Friday. Have you been hiding secret talents? What next, can you play Vivaldi on a violin? _

_Heather_

Her neat cursive put Percy's penmanship to shame. He read the note over and over again as his heart thumped. Her joke about the violin made him laugh, but the thought of her meeting with him gladly made his fingertips tingle. He had to find Oliver Wood- and fast. Percy had to learn how to fly by Friday.

"Where have you been?" Eric yelped as Heather walked on her way to dinner. Erica had stood at the door to wait for Heather. She pushed past multiple people in front of the Great Hall to get to the girl with pink hair. "And what's with that odd look on your face? Have you been sniffing glue?"

Of all the Muggle things Erica could bring up, it was glue. Heather raised an eyebrow and retorted, "The hell no."

"Were you in the library?"

"No."

Erica smugly grinned. "Then you were with Percy." It wasn't a question. Heather frowned.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Heather mumbled. She had a sudden interest in the stone floor. Erica just grinned, thrilled she was able to make Heather uncomfortable.

"Of course you don't. Say, how about we go to the library on Friday after dinner? I need your help with a Potions essay." Erica asked her. Heather looked up with surprise written all over her face at Erica's question.

"What?" She asked. Erica snorted at the panic in Heather's eyes. She sometimes wondered about her friend's sanity.

"I. Need. Help. With. A Potions. Essay." Erica enunciated each word. "Can. You. Meet. Me. At. The. Library. On. Friday. Question mark."

Heather waved her words out of the air like they were a bad smell. "I heard you the first time." She sneered.

"Then why did you-"

"It doesn't matter. Look, I just can't on Friday; I've got something to do that day." Heather backed away from Erica. "I have to go. I'll talk to you later." Heather turned and ran off.

Erica watched as her friend weaved through the crowd outside the Great Hall. She briefly wondered what was wrong with her, but brushed it off. Heather was always a little odd. Tonight was no different.

The week went by so agonizingly slow to Percy, it was like he was walking through honey. Every hour of the day seemed to drag on. Time felt as though it had stopped. He wanted the day to finally come to an end so he could go to sleep and be one day closer to Friday.

Every day he saw Heather, and every day he got more confused. He wasn't experienced with girls, he never was. Bill and Charlie were the ones who always had girlfriends draped over their arms, not him. Hell, even Fred and George had a girlfriend or two. Percy had no time for girls; he had no time to frolic around the school, to flirt with every girl he saw. Every bloody girl at this bloody school was bloody annoying anyway; they were all too loud and obnoxious. There was only one girl at this school who wasn't like that at all.

For some reason, every train of thought he had ended up winding itself back to the person who kept distracting him from his daily work. The person who made the orchestra in his head go all wonky. The person who dazzled him at Christmas dinner, wearing that beautiful navy blue dress.

Percy briefly allowed his mind to wander back to Christmas day, when he had walked down to Christmas dinner. He was forced by his brothers to sit with them and Harry. The dinner had just appeared on the dinner plates when the Great Hall doors opened and a small figure slipped itself inside. He remembered how Heather walked to the Gryffindor table, not in her usual slumped over manner, but with a graceful, almost jazzy step. He remembered how silky her bright hair looked in the candle light, how clear her smooth face appeared.

The sudden appearance Heather made in the Great Hall did not go unnoticed. Many boys turned their heads as she walked past the tables; Percy could have sworn even Professor Snape's eyes had darted from his dinner to Heather and back again. Marcus Flint's greedy eyes followed Heather as she stopped to talk to someone. For some reason this enraged Percy.

He also remembered the smirk he was given by her when he bit down on a sickle that was in his desert.

Percy opened his eyes. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get the thought of how beautiful Heather was during Christmas dinner. It was like he had begun to see her in a whole new light. A whole new scary (and mad) light, but it was also a pleasurable light all at once.

He desperately wanted it to be Friday already, yet at the same time he dreaded the idea of teaching Heather how to fly. Percy hardly even knew how to get a broomstick off the ground, for God's sake! How could he manage to teach someone something he didn't know?

The bell rang after class on Wednesday. It startled Percy out of his thoughts. He looked up from where he stared at his parchment and saw Oliver Wood walk out of the Transfiguration classroom. He scrambled to gather his stuff together and caught up with him. To his utter horror, Oliver was surrounded by a group of people.

"Oliver, may I have a word with you?" Percy said, breathless, as he knocked into a girl who stood next to the Quidditch player. She huffed angrily and gave Percy a look that made him squirm. Oliver saw the desperation on Percy's face and nodded. He quietly excused himself from the other Quidditch players and followed Percy to an empty classroom. Percy made sure it was completely empty before he spoke.

"I need you to teach me how to fly."

Oliver burst out laughing. Tears fell from his eyes and his body shook from laughter. Percy flushed and waited for Oliver to finish.

"Wait, you were serious?" Oliver gasped for breath. Percy stared at him unblinkingly. Oliver gaped at him with an open mouth. "But you're Percy!"

"What's that got to do with anything?" Percy huffed and crossed his arms. He didn't like the way Oliver looked at him.

"Well," Oliver began uneasily. "You mostly spend your time studying. Even though you're my best mate, I could never see you doing something that has physical activity involved with it."

Percy frowned. "I can do physical activity!"

Oliver waved his hands. "No, no, I'm not saying you can't it's just that… well, you're Percy Weasley, a Prefect. You spend a lot of time in the library. You're, uh, really thin and you…"

Percy sighed. "It's so I can teach Heather how to fly. Like on a broomstick." He braced himself for more laughter.

This time, Oliver fell on the floor from laughing so hard. At this point it'll take a miracle for Percy to learn how to fly.


End file.
